I SPENT £5 ON A SURPRISE BEAUTY BOX ON EBAY AND THIS IS WHAT I GOT

Well hey everybody,

So I had the idea to buy a beauty box off Ebay and see what I could get from it. There was honestly so many different boxes at different prices, offering all sorts of products, not just beauty related stuff.

I opted for a beauty box costing me a mere £5 pounds and giving me no real clue as to what products I would get. At least brand wise I mean.

I have done a YouTube video for this and you can find me under Josephine xoxo by the way.

But I really wanted to blog this too because if you're on a budget but want to feel a bit of excitement then this might be a fun thing for you to purchase.

So when I bought this box the only description they had was that there could be a mixture of beauty items such as haircare, skincare, makeup, and beauty accessories. That was it.

So I thought why not.

And this is what I received....

So the products came tissue wrapped in a normal mailing box. Nothing exciting but who cares, right.

This was the first product I unwrapped

Not that I have anything against wash cloths but they're not something I use. I find they're quite unhygienic and you just have to keeping washing them all the time so you'd have to own a few to use between washes and just eh.

Anyway, the second product was this

Not excited by this either as I've got way too many haircare products to use up but shampoo is probably the thing I would usually get through quickly out of most haircare stuff. But still..

And this was kind of a surprise

I like candles. I don't use them often because of having cats and you know how that can go. I didn't expect to see this in the box either. I wouldn't really class this as a beauty accessories but I guess it goes with the whole relaxing in the bath kind of thing.

Now I didn't mind this in the box because I get through shower gels pretty quickly and it's always good to have spares

And the last product I was kind of meh about too

I'm not really big on body lotion. I have found most of the ones I have used just break me out and make my skin feel really greasy so I don't know if I would use this. I do have a body lotion to grab if I ever did need to use it and I would probably use it over this one.

So that's all the products I received. Five products for five pounds.

Was it worth it?

Probably not. But I didn't buy this box without knowing that most, if not all the products could have been a let down. That's just what happens when you don't know what you're going to get. If you like a surprise and want to do it for a bit of excitement and fun then do it. But remember you could become disappointed if you look at it like you're wanting to get your money's worth.

THE AGE OF LONELINESS

I'm not sure I even want to post this. Because it's pretty hard for me to even write this to be honest with you.

It's really hard blogging and putting all those small thoughts you have into a descriptive post for the world to read.

But when it edges into something more personal then it should always be harder.

I've never written anything like this, save for my own journal but sharing to the world is another thing altogether.

I've been thinking lately,

Thinking quite a lot actually.

Because that's all I have right now. Is free time to think and think and think.

And I've realised that I'm quite lonely. And how hard it is to get yourself out of that loneliness. You can be surrounded by people you love and who love you in return but you can still feel pretty isolated if you're going through something.

It's quite gloomy really. And boy does it make you feel guilty.

You ask yourself if you're being selfish and you feel guilty for feeling the way you do because you know there are people who are worse off than you and who have nobody.

But you know you're not alone. You'd be surprised how many people feel the way you do and have the same questions running through their mind too.

So how do we overcome loneliness?

Because you see, you could have all the people in the world around you and that doesn't mean you're not going to go through something at some point in your life.

People can personally understand, people can try to understand, but it's not always a cure.

And why do we feel lonely?

Does communication play a big role? We have the internet at the tips of our fingers. In an instant we can connect with people from all over the globe but it can be a lonely experience and it can be a real changer in your perspective on people and yourself.

We're closer than ever but more alone than ever.

Have we lost purpose? Do we feel a purposelessness and isolation from a community we haven't been a part of in a long time?

I think there's so many factors.

I know from my own experience that it is incredibly hard to create relationships as you get older. People come and go in your life and don't always stay.

And we won't always connect with everybody. So you see you can be close to people all the time (say work) but if there's no connection then it can be pointless. Wouldn't you say?

And the internet? Well the internet to me is both a negative and a positive thing and sometimes I'm not sure which one outweighs the other. I mean it's good because there's so much knowledge to obtain and you can learn so much in a short space of time for no cost.

It's negative in regards to communication. It can really isolate us and it's incredibly difficult to be noticed on the internet. You can feel pretty ignored. And you can compare to others quite frequently and though we say what we see on the internet is not the same as a real life thing we can still compare ourselves to others and be somewhat critical of ourselves. Harshly too.

And I know from blogging and social media how hard it is to be noticed and have engagement. And engaging with others and taking the first step doesn't always work. I have tried many times to strike up conversations and make friends online and each time I've had no response.

It can be quite sad actually.

So say we take the internet out of the equation.

What would you do to feel not as alone?

Does talking to someone close to you help? Do you blog? Do you YouTube? Do you help somebody in your community? Do you have opportunities like clubs? Do you force yourself into really uncomfortable situations to really try and connect with others?

What works for one person doesn't work for another though, does it?

If you have nobody in your life? No friends or family then what do you do? Are you lonely? If you're lonely how do you help yourself to feel less alone?

I know blogging and Youtubing really helps me a lot. I love doing it and really enjoy sharing my passion. But it can be really lonely too.

Doing it for yourself is the biggest thing in my opinion. It's why I started blogging.

But sometimes it's nice to feel appreciated. Sometimes it's nice to be noticed, you know.

Because being invisible all the time can wear you down.

So the answer to the question 'How do we overcome loneliness?

And 'Why do we become lonely?'

I definitely think we are social creatures by nature and we are not usually left alone. I think purposelessness can play a part into how lonely we feel.

Take the working man. You go to work, you come home with little time to spare before you need to go to sleep because you know you're going to be so tired the next day otherwise, and then you just repeat the same process again. We lose time and meaning and when that happens we lose purpose.

And feeling like nothing is the worse. I think we can always feel useless sometimes.

I know it's how I've been feeling lately. That feel of being useless with everything and you wonder what is the purpose of yourself.

Isolating yourself can be the worst thing to do. But then some people thrive on being alone.

We are all different really and different things affect us, well, differently as individuals.

There's not much point to my post. Only I've been feeling incredibly useless and alone lately and question the point of myself. And it made me question people as a whole, how unconnected we've become from each other, and how a lot of us feel purposelessness.

Will we ever get it back?

NEW BEAUTY BOX - UNBOXING JULY'S ROCCABOX

I've subscribed to another beauty box and this one has me soooo excited.

I feel this one has got a different take to the rest of the beauty boxes out there. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love receiving my Glossybox every month and have no plan to cancel that box.

**You can read my blog posts on them as well as watch my Youtube videos. (You can find me under Josephine xoxo by the way.)**

But introducing Roccabox, well it's one of a kind really.

Their products you receive are chosen by bloggers and influencers themselves. So each box you receive is a collaboration of some sorts. Meaning the products you try are products that bloggers or influencers are pretty much loving and using at that moment in time.

And not only that that, it gives you the opportunity to be introduced to new bloggers and influencers you may not have heard of before, and I think that's pretty great.

This is the first box I have received from Roccabox and I'm super impressed. It cost roughly the same as most of the other UK boxes you can subscribe to (Like Glossybox, Birchbox, etc) though I don't think there is a rule to how many products you receive. I think two are usually full sized at least.

Might not sound so impressive to some of you but don't be disheartened. Remember these are chosen by bloggers themselves and you always get travel sizes to try out too and sometimes you get more than five products as well. The products you receive are still worth more than what you pay.

But onto the box,

This is what it looks like.

The box is simple white with Roccabox along the front.

And this is what you get inside. It's very similar to other boxes. You get the bed of straw, you get the information card too.

And this is what the card looks like

This box is a collaboration with Carly Musleh. I did briefly check out her twitter but haven't checked out any other of her other social media handles. I think I will have a delve into her blog. Like I said it's always good to discover new bloggers and influencers.

So the first thing product is a sample size Revitalize Mask by PCA. It says the mask is packed with papaya, honey, green tea and vitamin E which combined are an exfoliating, brightening, tightening, and hydrating powerhouse.

The second product is an Original Balm by Dr Paw Paw. It says you can use it to treat dry skin, chapped lips and sunburn, smear on your collarbone, gloss your eyelids, glam your cheekbones, and tame your brows.

The next product is the Bare Minerals Gen Nude Patent Lip Lacquer. It says this high gloss liquid lipstick is a serious welcome summery antidote to matte lips, and a shade of nude that cleverly looks flattering, chic and oh-so-glam on all skin tones.

The fourth product is the Pureology Hydrate shampoo. It says this shampoo is so packed full of deeply nourishing, yet super gentle ingredients, that it can be used both as a colour- preserving shampoo on coloured locks and as a hydrating shampoo for dry hair.

The fifth product is the Pureology Hydrate Conditioner. It's 100 percent vegan, totally sulfate-free, colour preserving, deeply hydrating - that you can't not love.

And the last product is Pixi, by Petra Lash Line Ink. It says this innovative liner creates the most natural-looking eye definition.

Here is the list of the products in this month's box and the Rrp too.

1. Skin Revitalize Mask by PCA - £49 (Sample Size)

2. Original Balm by Dr Paw Paw - £6.95 (FULL SIZE)

3. Gen Nude Patent Lip Lacquer by Bare Minerals - £17 (SAMPLE SIZE) Rrp £6.90 for sample.

4. Hydrate Shampoo by Pureology - Rrp £18.50 (SAMPLE SIZE)

5 Hydrate Shampoo by Pureology - Rrp £21.50 (SAMPLE SIZE)

6. Lash Line Ink By Pixi by Petra - Rrp £12 (FULL SIZE)

So, like I said at the beginning, I'm super impressed with this box. I'm definitely excited to try the balm out by Dr Paw Paw and I'm due to colour my hair again soon so I'll use the shampoo and conditioner as well. I'm not really fussed on the Bare Minerals lip lacquer as I hate gloss based lip products.

I've also done an unboxing video on my Youtube so check it out.

I can't wait to see what the next box brings.

If you are subscribed to Roccabox, what was your favourite product this month?

GLOSSYBOX UNBOXING - JULY 2018 UK BOX

I'm back with another Glossybox unboxing post.

My July box finally arrived this morning and as it's already somewhat later arriving than usual I didn't want to delay blogging and filming.

Before I get into the unboxing bit I'm going to give a brief explanation on what Glossybox is. Boring for those of you who may frequent my blog posts (As I always do this) but helpful for those of you who may not have heard about Glossybox before.

So Glossybox is a subscription service where you pay a monthly fee (£10 + £3.25pp) and in return receive a box containing five beauty products. I usually find you get three full sized products with the other two being travel size. There are different subscription packages you can choose from and you can get more information on the Glossybox website.

This month's box is different to the standard boxes you receive. It has a tropical beach ocean vibe kind of thing going on.

Here's what the box looks like

This is definitely my favourite looking box to date.


And this is the card that is with this month's box

Onto the products....

The first product featured in the box is the Sea Water Hair Spray by Senhor Do Bonfim. It says this is the perfect heat free curl enhancer for that effortless, windswept 'I've not even tried' look.

I know I'll be giving this away as I have too many hair care products to get through and I know I wouldn't reach for this anyway

The second product is the La Source Hand Therapy by Crabtree & Evelyn.

It's formulated with a marine blend of antioxidant-rich seaweed extracts and red sea algae. It says the hydrating power of hylauronic acid also improves your skin's natural moisturiser barrier.

I think I've said before in my post that I can get really dry hands so I'm always on the look out for a good hand cream as some can be really greasy or sticky and too quick drying.

The next product is The One 5-in-1 Wonder Lash Mascara by Oriflame. It lifts, curls, volumises, lengthens and separates.

I'm running low on my Maybelline X Gigi Hadid mascara and everytime I use the Barry M Lash Vegas 2, I keep getting super itchy eyes so I'm glad I have received a mascara as I now needed a new one to use.

And another product which I absolutely love is the Cheek Shell Brush by Inuwet. It says with short bristles, it's perfect for precision contouring, bronzing and highlighting.

I have some brushes like this one that are shaped like fishes and I've been meaning to blog and film using them to see how well they work so I'm definitely going to make sure I do that and include this brush as well.

The last main product is some Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste by Regenerate.

This is the first toothpaste of its kind to regenerate enamel and reverse the early erosion process. The ingredients form a fresh supply of enamel minerals, which wrap around your teeth.

And an extra treat that came in the box is a sachet of Duo Defence Sun Lotion by Hawaiian Tropic.

This sun lotion contains an anti-pollution layer for duo defence. It's infused with green tea extracts, mango, guava, papaya, and passion fruit.

I'm needing to buy a better spf sun lotion so when we have a hot day again, I will definitely try this sachet out and purchase if I think it's for me.

Below is the product list with the Rrp and the size of the products in the box.


1. Sea Water Hair Spray - Senhor Do Bonfim - Rrp £16 (FULL SIZE)

2. La Source Hand Therapy - Crabtree & Evelyn - Rrp £8 (FULL SIZE)

3. The One 5-in-1 Wonder Lash Mascara - Oriflame - Rrp £9 (FULL SIZE)

4. Cheek Shell Brush - Inuwet - Rrp £13.20 (FULL SIZE)

5. Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste - Regenerate - Rrp £2.50 deluxe mini 14ml. £10 full size 75ml (DELUXE MINI)

**Extra Treat** Duo Defence Sun Lotion Spf 30 - Hawaiian Tropic - Rrp £14.99 180ml (SACHET 7.4ML)

I really like this box again. Apart from one product, I'm interested in trying out all of the others. I'm impressed that there are four full sized products and it's nice to have an extra something included in the box.

If you are subscribed to Glossybox, let me know what you think of this month's box. Are you impressed? Do you hate it?

Xoxo

GLOSSYBOX UNBOXING - LIMITED EDITION VEGAN BOX

Hey guys,

I'm back.

I have missed blogging so much. I feel like I haven't written anything in forever.

I'm actually away at the moment but had to return back home briefly for a job interview so I just had to pick up my Glossybox and take it back with me so I could blog about it. Hehehe.

And I'm so excited to let you know what's inside.

So every month I write a blog post on them and let you know all about it. And like every blog post I always give some information about Glossybox for anybody who may be new to my blog (hello) and hasn't heard of Glossybox before.

So Glossybox is a beauty subscription where you pay a monthly fee and get a beauty box which usually consists of skincare, hair, and makeup items. The box costs £10 with £3.25 postage and there are different subscription packages you can choose from. I usually find you get three full sized products and the other two being travel size. You get five products in total basically.

This box is slightly different as this isn't a monthly box (I'm still waiting for July's box) but a limited edition box. You pay slightly more but usually get more products and the box is always geared towards something. For example, Glossybox has had a Nars limited edition box. They're not a recurring thing if you know what I mean.

Anyway, in this box you get a total of ten products and all are vegan with the box being a vegan friendly one.

This is the little booklet that came in the box. This shows all of the products and gives a small brief description about them too.

You can also see their RRP as well.

In the box, you get the Tattoo Eyeliner by Kat Von D. It says this highly pigmented, 24 hour wear formula is waterproof and transfer resistant.

So, if you've read some of my other blog posts you'll know I've mentioned that I'm not very good at using eyeliner. I have been practising lately though and use an eyeliner that I received back in one of my previous Glossybox's. It is the Steve Laurent one and I'm really enjoying using it. I find it's really good to practice with as it doesn't bleed and you get a good pigment from it.

And although I haven't used a Kat Von D product before I don't plan to either due to the controversy surrounding Kat Von D herself. If you want to find out more just google Kat Von D controversy and you'll get all the information you need. It's completely a choice to support a brand or not but for me I have no plan to buy any of her products and support her.

I'll probably give this away.

Onto another product, is some matcha tea by Pure Chimp. This tea is specially grown matcha green tea leaves and are carefully ground so you can consume their natural goodness. Filled with antioxidants, they will boost your metabolism and improve your concentration. I love tea and haven't really explored other teas like green tea, spice tea, etc, so I don't mind trying these out as I probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy them to try myself.

This product is a natural, anti frizz serum and will come charging to the rescue to smooth and hydrate. Packed with argan oil, sweet almond oil and free from all nasties, it's perfect for taming uruly hair. I have so many hair care products at the moment to try out so I think I'll be having a sort through them and giving some away as I know I can't try all of them out.

The fourth product is an eye shading brush by So Eco. This makeup brush is made from sustainable bamboo, recycled aluminium, and cruelty free bristles. I don't have very many good eye brushes so I'm glad to have another one to use.

And another product is a Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioner in Rosewood by Tropic Skincare.  Bursting with nutritious, exotic ingredients, this velvety, mint and vanilla scented balm is bursting with 26 lip loving plant extracts. The mango wax and vitamins help to plump, smooth fine lines, repair and protect. My lips have been really dehydrated lately due to the heatwave we have been having so I'm always open to trying new lip products out.

The sixth product is a Head & Hair Heal Masque by Maria Nila. This masque promotes a healthy scalp and stronger shinier hair. Like I said above I have loads of new hair care products to try and have a hair masque so I won't try both of them. I'll end up giving one away again.

I'm super excited to try this product out. The Vitamin E Super Hydrating Cream by Dr Organic. It says this organic moisturiser is packed with vitamin E. Aloe Vera, shea butter, cocoa butter, sweet almond oil and antioxidant. This can be used on your face and body and is good for scars, stretch marks, and mature skin.

You also receive a shampoo in this box. It's a Hydrate Shampoo. It contains aloe and natural ingredients to cleanse and moisturise your hair. It's pH balanced, free from damaging salts and sulphates and will leave your hair feeling silky soft. I have really long thick hair so I never mind trying out new shampoo and conditioners, especially when some can be expensive if you're trying them out for the first time.

Like most women, I have some cellulite so I was excited to see Birch Cellulite Oil in this box by Weleda. It says this zesty, natural treatment that's formulated to firm, smooth and tone your skin. It's made with organic birch leaf extract, plus the nourishing plant oils of apricot, wheat germ and jojoba. I definitely don't believe this gets rid of cellulite (Exercising and toning will help more in my opinion) but if it at least helps reduce the appearance of cellulite somewhat then it's definitely worth trying out.

And the final product is the Lemon and Lime Foaming Shower Gel by Original Source. It's packed with 100 percent natural fragrances and natural oils. This gel turns into foam as soon as it leaves the bottle. I've tried shower gel from Original Source before and really liked it so I'm going to like trying this foam one out.

1. Kat Von D - Tattoo Eyeliner - Rrp £17 for full size 0.55ml. (TRAVEL SIZE) Rrp £6.18 0.2ml

2. Pure Chimp - Matcha Tea - Rrp £4.95 20g pouch (FULL SIZE)

3. Noughty Haircare - Noughty To The Rescue Anti-Frizz Serum - Rrp £8.99 75ml (FULL SIZE)

4. So Eco - Eye Shading Brush - Rrp £5 (FULL SIZE)

5. Tropic Skincare - Lip Fudge Plumping Lip Conditioner In Rosewood - Rrp £12 (FULL SIZE)

6. Maria Nila - Head & Hair Heal Masque - Rrp £26.99 (FULL SIZE)

7. Dr Organic - Vitamin E Super Hydrating Cream - Rrp £8.49 (FULL SIZE)

8. Tints Of Nature - Hydrate Shampoo - Rrp £3.99 for deluxe mini. Rrp £6.99 full size (DELUXE MINI)

9.  Weleda - Birch Cellulite Oil - Rrp £2.95 for 10ml deluxe mini. Rrp £25.95 100ml full size (DELUXE MINI)

10. Original Source - Lemon and Lime Foaming Shower Gel - Rrp £3

So I'm really impressed with this limited edition box and I really am going to look forward to trying some of these products out.

If you got this limited edition vegan Glossybox, what did you think about it? Drop a comment :)

Xoxo